Manila Embassy Interview/Visa Status

[jeng 0]

I just want to confirm that K1 visa appointments are not on a first come first serve basis or shall I say, as long as i already got the appointment letter from the embassy, I am already assured of the interview slot.

Actually, I already got the appointment letter from the embassy and my scheduled medical and interview are on may 15 & 22, respectively. However, I have not paid the visa fee of $100 yet since my passport is in the process of renewal. DS-156 requires the passport details. I will only get to pay the visa fee this Friday.

I hope I am not in trouble. Is everything fine?

thanks

[BJZags 17]

I just want to confirm that K1 visa appointments are not on a first come first serve basis or shall I say, as long as i already got the appointment letter from the embassy, I am already assured of the interview slot.

Actually, I already got the appointment letter from the embassy and my scheduled medical and interview are on may 15 & 22, respectively. However, I have not paid the visa fee of $100 yet since my passport is in the process of renewal. DS-156 requires the passport details. I will only get to pay the visa fee this Friday.

I hope I am not in trouble. Is everything fine?

thanks

You just need to have your passport renewed and ready by the time you goto your medical. St. Lukes will take your passport and pass it, along with the medical results to the embassy. As long as you have paid the visa fee and have the form stamped by the bank when you arrive at the embassy for your interview, you are fine.

[john_and_marlene 162]

In regards to SSN. We got hers before marriage in her maiden name. After the ceremony we took the marriage abstract to the Soc Security office. We were told they could not change the name until INS had her records updated. They also said if we did actually turn in the paperwork, her number would be temporarily 'suspended' (whatever that means) until INS had everything updated so it was in our best interest to do the change of name at a later date. We talked to two people in the office with the same answer.

We are glad to have gotten the SSN before marriage because it appears it would be more difficult after marriage (unless you still attempted to do the maiden name version).

Steven & Thea

Marlene applied for her SSN after we were married and got it in her married name.

[dave_ehssa 0]

Thanks. What does EAD means? So it means that even if I already have SSN, I still cannot work without the EAD, right?

EAD is your Employment Authorization...you cant work if u dont have this working permit..ull get it later after 2 and half months after filing the AOS application.

[joemaria 0]

I just want to confirm that K1 visa appointments are not on a first come first serve basis or shall I say, as long as i already got the appointment letter from the embassy, I am already assured of the interview slot.

Actually, I already got the appointment letter from the embassy and my scheduled medical and interview are on may 15 & 22, respectively. However, I have not paid the visa fee of $100 yet since my passport is in the process of renewal. DS-156 requires the passport details. I will only get to pay the visa fee this Friday.

I hope I am not in trouble. Is everything fine?

thanks

Hi Jeng!

Its good to know that we have same medical and interview dates.

Passport renewal can be released over night but u have to pay extra fee but if u have to wait for its regular releasing time it will take 3 days or a week. I havent pay yet the visa fee, my plan is to pay it a week before our interview. You are not in trouble, as long as u paid the visa fee before interview and done with your medical too, no prob! Hope to meet u at USE...

[trey_n_roxy 0]

hello friends,

Do I need to have second dose of MMR and Varicella here in US?..Some of my friends said YES and other said NO..All I remembered St. Luke told me is I will have my TD here in the US.. ..

I hope anybody can clarify me about this..Thanks in advance.

Roxy

Edited May 2, 2007 by trey_n_roxy

[Sheriff Uling 3]

hello friends,

Do I need to have second dose of MMR and Varicella here in US?..Some of my friends said YES and other said NO..All I remembered St. Luke told me is I will have my TD here in the US.. ..

I hope anybody can clarify me about this..Thanks in advance.

Roxy

Roxy...

No, you do not need to have a second dose of MMR or Varicella here in the States! What you MUST do is receive the TD shot here in the States because it's not available in the Philippines, and I further recommend having your DS-3025 data transferred to the I-693A once your TD shot has been administered.

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

Edited May 2, 2007 by Sheriff Uling

[trey_n_roxy 0]

hello friends,

Do I need to have second dose of MMR and Varicella here in US?..Some of my friends said YES and other said NO..All I remembered St. Luke told me is I will have my TD here in the US.. ..

I hope anybody can clarify me about this..Thanks in advance.

Roxy

Roxy...

No, you do not need to have a second dose of MMR or Varicella here in the States! What you MUST do is receive the TD shot here in the States because it's not available in the Philippines, and I further recommend having your DS-3025 data transferred to the I-693A once your TD shot has been administered.

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

Thanks Sheriff..you really the best and a big help

[supra23 0]

hmmm...im a little worried now. i looked at my fiancee's visa and under the annotation it has my name spelled incorrectly. everything for her name to her A# is correct but the only part thats wrong is that in my last name, they transposed a letter. all my paperwork i submitted has my name spelled out correct as her petitioner and all of it was typed out. should we worry about this? or not since all of her information on the visa is correct already.

We are on the same boat here.. I got my visa last thursday and i noticed that my fiancees last name was misspelled in the annotation part too. Instead of his last name having 2 L's, they only put 1 L. Did you have a chance to call embassy already?? What do we need to do??

hey sanfrancisco, i have not had a chance to call the embassy yet. im assuming it will be ok since all of my fiancee's information is correct. i'll let you know if i get a chance to call them. let me know if you get to call them also and what they said. hope it won't be a problem since it's just the annotation part

hmmm...im a little worried now. i looked at my fiancee's visa and under the annotation it has my name spelled incorrectly. everything for her name to her A# is correct but the only part thats wrong is that in my last name, they transposed a letter. all my paperwork i submitted has my name spelled out correct as her petitioner and all of it was typed out. should we worry about this? or not since all of her information on the visa is correct already.

We are on the same boat here.. I got my visa last thursday and i noticed that my fiancees last name was misspelled in the annotation part too. Instead of his last name having 2 L's, they only put 1 L. Did you have a chance to call embassy already?? What do we need to do??

There was a similar case last year and embassy said that as long as the beneficiary’s info was correct, it was okay. But I would second DeanIWait, better for both of you to call embassy to inform them of the mistake and ask them if there is a need for correction. Then please let us know what they say.

sanfranciso, i just called the embassy and as patientlywaiting said, it's ok for the petitioner's name to have a typo. they said that it only needs to be resubmitted to the embassy for correction is if the beneficiary's information is incorrect. what a relief! it took me awhile to call and get through after a couple days of trying and i fly back to the states with my fiancee tomorrow. when she went to the CFO, they asked about the spelling of my last name since it was wrong. they asked her to bring my passport in to prove the spelling of my last name before they would issue her the certificate of attendence, so after i showed them my passport they said it was ok. i suggest having a photocopy of your fiance's passport when you go through the CFO if you haven't already, just in case they ask about the spelling.

[supra23 0]

my fiancee told me that when she was at the CFO, she heard a 20 year old girl there tell some of the other girls that she was just using the 63 yr old guy she was with to get to the states. her story she was telling was that she was going to school for nursing and that she was in her final year. but her sister that use to be paying for her school stopped. then she met the guy thats petitioning her over and he offered to pay for her last year of school and then bring her to the states. so she figured why not and then when she gets to the states she will leave him. thats so sad and sucks because its people like that, that make the process so hard for the rest of us who have a genuine relationship. grrrrr

[sillygirl 0]

We are glad to have gotten the SSN before marriage because it appears it would be more difficult after marriage (unless you still attempted to do the maiden name version).

Steven & Thea

Not necessarily true. Many applied for their SSN after they are married and had no problem whatsoever. I applied for mine after we were married. And applying in your married name saves you the hassle of doing the name change.

Hi Lucy,

Can I already apply for SSN card before the wedding? Can I apply it while I am still here in manila? I want to have my SSN as soon as possible after arriving in the US so I can start working.

I'd appreciate if you could give me insights on how to apply for the SSN, especially the right timing. Yours is fast if filed only a week.

a K-1 can not apply for SSN until after arriving in USA. After your I-94 expires (90 days), you can not work until you have an EAD, even if you have your SSN. after you marry, you can apply for an EAD with your AOS, but it will take a few months before you receive the EAD.

Thanks. What does EAD means? So it means that even if I already have SSN, I still cannot work without the EAD, right?

EAD is the Employment Authorization Document. And yes, even though you have the SSN, you can not work without the EAD. Until you get your greencard, your SSN card will have the words "valid only with INS work authorization" (or something to that effect).

Timelines for EAD and AOS processing varies.

hello friends,

Do I need to have second dose of MMR and Varicella here in US?..Some of my friends said YES and other said NO..All I remembered St. Luke told me is I will have my TD here in the US.. ..

I hope anybody can clarify me about this..Thanks in advance.

Roxy

I'd like to concur with Sheriff here but something's bothering me...

Have you had measles or chicken pox before? If not, there is one that you do need to get two shots of either one(sorry, can't remember if it's the MMR or the Varicella - i'm getting old). If they gave you two shots in the Phils, then chances are you need another shot for either one AND the TD shot when you get here. I'll look for a copy of my shots to see which one needs two shots and do more research if either one really needs two shots.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

Manila Embassy K1 Visa Guide…

Starting Line

(K1 Introduction) - If you are just starting your K1 visa journey, please check out this information provided by the Department of State (DOS) on the K1 visa experience [CLICK HERE]. I found this information very insightful when I first started. Please note that the "How to Apply for a Social Security Number Card" section is INCORRECT because K1 visa beneficiaries may ONLY apply for a SSN card upon arriving into the United States. Please also review VJ's K1 guide [CLICK HERE]

(K1 Visa Immigration Stages) - A simplified and theoretical overview of the five (5) stages involved in the K1 Visa process, according to Sheriff Uling[CLICK HERE].

Post NOA1 (Receipt Notice) Information

(Case Status) - Once you have filed the petition (I-129F) and received a "receipt number" (listed on the NOA1), please register on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website using the Case Status Online Tool to receive emailed updates concerning your petition [CLICK HERE]. NOTE: If you want emailed updates to multiple addresses then you must create multiple customer portfolio accounts. When your petition is approval (NOA2), this tool is of no further use to you until after the beneficiary arrives in the states, get's married, applies for the Adjustment of Status (AOS), Employment Authorization Document (EAD), and/or Advance Parole (AP) because this tool does not track the activity being performed at the National Visa Center (NVC) or the Manila Embassy.

Post NOA2 (Approval Notice) Information

(1). The National Visa Center (NVC) number is within my signature. NVC assigns your case number once your case is approved (NOA2). They also may perform a preliminary background check, from what I've read, then forwards your package (electronically and via snail mail) to the Manila Embassy. This process normally takes approximately 14 – 30 days.

(2). The Manila Embassy (USE) number is within my signature. Please review this instructional visa interview information [CLICK HERE] (Thx Sillygirl). The average visa interview appointment/medical exam are scheduled by the USE approximately 90 – 120 days after the receipt of your package sent by the NVC. Even though the USE has received you package electronically, the process will not begin until the paper copy is received via snail mail.

The beneficiary may or may not received a Letter of Receipt [SAMPLE HERE] (Thx PW and GaryC) accompanied by a Document Preparation Letter [SAMPLE HERE] (Thx PW and GaryC) from the USE once their physical files are delivered to the USE from the NVC. Don't be mistakened, this is NOT Packet 3 because the USE ONLY issues Packet 4. At times, the USE fails to send the beneficiary the Letter of Receipt and Document Preparation Letter, which is of no real consequence and may arrive in approximately 30 - 60 days.

However, the beneficiary SHOULD and NEEDS to receive an Appointment Letter [SAMPLE HERE] accompanied by the infamous Packet 4 [MODIFIED SAMPLE HERE], which should arrive approximately 60 - 90 days after the receipt of the hard-copy case file sent by the NVC to the USE. The Packet 4 currently sent from the USE to the beneficiaries INCORRECTLY states that the DS-156 (Nonimmigrant Visa Application) is validated by the banks upon paying the visa application fee. The pdf file for the Packet 4 link (above) is modified to CORRECTLY read that the DS-157 Supplemental Nonimmigrant Application is the form validated by the bank upon paying the visa application fee.

As of 01 November 2006, ALL nonimmigrant visa applicants MUST use the online Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF) to complete the DS-156 (Nonimmigrant Visa Application) at http://evisaforms.state.gov. You may complete the DS-156K (Nonimmigrant Fiancé(e) Visa Application), and the DS-157 (Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application) and the I-134 (Affidavit of Support) via computer (recommended), type-writer (just as good), or handwritten (last resort). To review the K1 Visa Forms (DS-156, DS-156K, DS-157, & I-134) most Frequently Asked Questions [CLICK HERE]. To review the Manila Embassy Thread's recommendations on what to bring (which directly corresponds to the document preparation letter and Packet 4 sent by the USE) and sample questions asked by the Consular Officer during the visa interview [CLICK HERE]. If you need to call the USE, dial 0 for the operator, and ask for the Immigrant Visa Unit (even though the K1 Visa is a nonimmigrant visa, they are handled like immigrant visa because of the intent to migrate to the United States). Effective 01 March 2007, cellphones and other electronic devices will NOT be permitted into the US Embassy and applicants who bring such devices will be DENIED entry.

Be advised once the beneficiary reaches the pre-screeners, the majority of them are very direct, rude, and mean, so don't be alarmed or discouraged by them.

(3).The Department of State (DOS) number is within my signature. After your case is approved (NOA2) and reaches the Manila Embassy, you may call DOS instead on the Manila Embassy to obtain status of your case and make inquiries concerning your interview date. NOTE: DOS has no direct participation in the K1 process.

(4). The Visa Interview Appointments website is within my signature (the beneficiary's interview appointment and medical exam will be scheduled by the USE). NOTE: Please do NOT press enter after the case number is entered because that will not yield a result. Please click on the "Check Appointment" tab. If the appointments have been scheduled, the following will be available: Case Number, Visa Classification, St. Luke's appointment Date, and Embassy Appointment Date, but if the appointments are NOT scheduled yet, the result will be "Case Number Not Found on Appointment List."

(5). St. Luke's Extension Clinic (SLEC) information is within my signature. SLEC is where the beneficiary goes to take the medical exam and vaccination. The process takes two days: Day 1 is the medical exam (the beneficiary's passport will be taken and sent to the USE along with the medical exam results) and; Day 2 is the vaccination (the beneficiary will be given the x-ray film and the vaccination worksheet/record). NOTE: If the Manila Embassy does not mail the beneficiary the K1 Visa Packet 4 and the Appointment Letter, then call SLEC in order to pick them up at SLEC and take a copy of the NOA2, a copy of the NVC letter (a.k.a. Bureau of Consular Affairs (BCA) letter) (which should have the beneficiary's Manila case number on it), and a print-out of the scheduled appointment dates from the Visa Interview Appointments website. Be advised, the beneficiary's medical exam will be scheduled one week before the visa interview by the USE. Per the Manila Embassy Thread, we recommend that the beneficiary takes the medical exam anywhere from 2 weeks to a month before the interview to ensure the results are available for the Consular Officer and to prepare in the unfortunate event of unfavorable medical results. If the medical exam is taken anytime over a month before the visa interview, there is a risk that the results could be invalid, which means the beneficiary will have to take another medical exam before the visa can be approved. The beneficiary may reschedule the medical exam appointment with SLEC after the medical exam and visa interview dates are assigned by calling SLEC. Please don't forget to bring your passport, appointment letter (if received), passport photos (the size of the photos should be 2 inches by 2 inches [see Packet 4, page 8]), and the medical exam fee to your appointment. The beneficiary also needs to have the sponsors contact information (address, phone number, and ssn #) for the SLEC forms. To review the Manila Embassy Thread's recommendations on what to bring and sample questions asked [CLICK HERE].

(6). The DELBROS website is within my signature. DELBROS is the company responsible for delivering the beneficiary's Visa and POE information. The DELBROS delivery fee is paid subsequent to the beneficiary's visa interview at the Manila Embassy. The only way to correspond with Delbros is via text, which can be extremely frustrating if you visa delivery is delayed. Per the Manila Embassy website, the current delivery fee/time is as follows:

* Metro Manila Areas, 135 Philippine Pesos, Delivered one (1) to three (3) business days after release of visaed passport to the courier

* Provincial Key Cities (ex. Cebu City, Davao City, etc.) 165 Philippine Pesos; Delivered three (3) to five (5) business days after release of visaed passport to the courier

* Outside Provincial Key Cities, (ex. Capiz, Leyte, Bukidnon, etc.), Cost depends on area/location, Delivered five (5) to seven (7) business days after release of visaed passport to the courier

NOTE: Per the DELBROS staff, the Manila Embassy can take as much as three (3) business days to release the visa and POE package, which is NOT included in the deliver times above. You may also call the Manila Embassy, dial 0 for the operator, and ask for Delbros, after the visa is approve, to acquire about the status of your visa delivery.

(7). Beneficiaries are required to attend a CFO Guidance and Counseling Seminar that are held in Manila and Cebu, whichever is more convenient, before traveling abroad (the corresponding links within my signature). Attending the CFO Guidance and Counseling Seminar is a Philippine government requirement which states, "Per Republic Act 8239 and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Order 28-94, Filipinos proceeding abroad as fiancé(e)s and spouses of foreign nationals are required to attend the CFO's guidance and counseling programs... " For more info [CLICK HERE]. NOTE: The CFO Guidance and Counseling Seminar is not stated as a requirement within the Packet 4 instructions. However, after the visa is approved, instructions on attending the CFO Guidance and Counseling seminar are included in the visa and Port of Entry (POE) package received by the beneficiary. If the beneficiary takes the seminar before receiving the visa, then the beneficiary will have to return to the CFO in order to receive the CFO sticker anytime after the visa is received. Travel abroad is prohibited without the CFO sticker within the beneficiary's passport (the visa is within the passport). Please check out this instructional information on the PRISM Guidance and Counceling Seminar experience [CLICK HERE] (Thx Sillygirl).

(8). The I-94 Arrival / Departure Record form is within my signature. Foreigners (beneficiaries) complete the I-94 and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer stamps the applicant's visa and the arrival and departure portions of the I-94 at the Port of Entry (POE) when entering the States. The CBP Officer will keep the arrival portion and staple the departure portion of the I-94 to your visa where they stamped the beneficiaries arrival date. You will need this for the Adjustment of Status process. NOTE: Even though it's simple, I have supplied this so you will know what it looks like and what is required to be filled out. Have a great flight!

FINAL NOTE: Please let me know if there are any suggestions/errors/updates.

I have correlated the numbers above to my signature below.

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

p.s. - Please review the signature and story tab of my wife's VJ profile [Deputy Uling] for information on the Adjustment of Status (AOS) stage that occurs after the beneficiary arrives in the United States.

[island_princess 2]

Wow! Very informative. That's what I need, a summary guide.

Thanks!

[Skeeter211 2]

Hey Everyone! Just stopping by the internet cafe in Manila to tell everyone thanks for the well wishes and prayers. After sitting in the USE for what seemed like an eternity and feeling our stomach turn every time we heard the ding of the number board for a new "victim" number to flash...hehehehe.....we had our turn in the hot seat. We got a little nervous sitting outside the consul officer's cubicle while the previous applicant finished up. I kept hearing some stern questioning coming from inside the rooms around me and my heart was pounding. Then it was our turn.

We went into the room and were greeted warmly by the female consul. We returned the greeting and sat down. I really got nervous when she turned to another worker with some document from the previous case and said that it went with the one they would be referring to the fraud unit. Not a way to start out!

The woman started going through our papers and confirmed through passports that were were indeed the petitioner and beneficiary. She then asked how we met and when did we meet. She asked me how many times I had visited my fiance since we had met and I told her this was my sixth visit. She seemed impressed with that. She then went over the status of both our previous marriages and took Mir's NSO Annulment document. My heart sank to the floor when she asked for a copy of the certificate of finality. I think I previously posted about what I anticipated might be a problem with dates in that document and I feared the worst. We provided the document. Luckily, it turned out to be no problem and the date her annulment was granted by the court was sufficient.

She quickly reviewed our petition packet in her folder by thumbing through and asked for birth certificates of Mir and for her NBI clearance, both of which we provided. She then asked for photographs and we handed over a selection of 6-10 photos from each of my five previous visits. She looked at the first few and then kind of quickly fanned through the rest of them. She then went back to checking documents in the file and finally said, "Well...I think that's about it. You can go ahead and have a seat back outside until your number is called again. I will keep these two documents for photocopying and they will be returned to you at the releasing window. Other than that, you should receive your visa by courier in about 7 days." We both smiled big and thank the woman, then exited to go wait.

We were called for the releasing and went to window #37. The girl gave us back the photocopied documents and then told us to pay Delbros. She gave us a pink slip talking about paying Delbros. Still in shock, I asked the woman, "So there is no AR?" She looked at me like, "Huh?" I restated, "So there will be no administrative review on our case as it stands now." She said, "No." We happily walked on clouds out of the Embassy.

As far as the pre-screener, he was nice, but seemed either new or disorganized....not sure which. He seemed a little nervous. He confirmed our identities and then asked how we met. We told him online and he asked where, so we told him Filipinaheart. Again, my heart sank a little wondering if the IMBRA thingy would creep in, but nothing. He then asked me if this was my second visit. I told him its my 6th and his eyes got wide. He asked, "All for her?" I smiled and said, "Yes, sir. She had to have an annulment of her previous marriage. It's been a long four years wait." He said, "Ohhh....okay.", but then 20 seconds later proceeded to ask for Mir's CENOMAR. Hello??? We explained again that she was married before and that she had an annullment. "Oh, that's right.", he replied.

He took our cards we had exchanged. He looked at our photos and got to the Wowowee photos. He seemed to really think that was cool and asked a lot of questions about our visit to the show. We asked if he wanted emails and chat logs, but he told us, "I think we have enough here already." (I took that as a good sign. ) He sent us on our way.

So that's about it. We are so blessed that we were given passage to start a life together in the USA and thank God for that opportunity. Thank you also to those prayers and guidance from the members here. Your assistance was invaluable. Take care and God bless.

Scott and Mirasol (Together4Ever4LIFE!!!!)

[David-and-Mae 15]

CONGRATULATIONS Scott and Mirasol! Thank you for sharing the interview experience! Very encouraging!!!

Here's to both of you! Best wishes and have a happy married life very soon!

David and Mae